DS3 to ASI converter with reduced memory

A method for processing a Digital Service Level Three (DS3) transport stream carrying a Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) payload over an Asynchronous Serial Interface (ASI) transport comprising:

• receiving a plurality of DS3 packets and discarding one or more null packets among the received plurality of DS3 packets;
• determining if each received DS3 packet of the plurality of DS3 packets includes a program clock reference (PCR) value;
• adjusting the PCR value, if present, by a difference of a time that said each DS3 packet arrives (TS_pkt), and a time at which said each MPEG-2 packet would start to be transmitted over the ASI transport (TS_info) prior to outputting said each MPEG-2 packet;
• and
• outputting each of the plurality of MPEG-2 packets over the ASI transport upon arrival in the DS3 transport stream without storing said each of the plurality of MEPG-2 packets in a buffer, but storing the PCR value in the buffer.

An apparatus for processing a Digital Service Level Three (DS3) transport stream carrying a Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) payload over Asynchronous Serial Interface (ASI) transport comprising:

• a DS3 receiver to receive the DS3 transport stream and to output a data signal and a clock signal, said DS3 receiver including:
• a DS3 interface device to receive a plurality of DS3 packets and discarding one or more null packets among the received plurality of DS3 packets;
• and
• a DS3 PCR correction device to determine if each received DS3 packet of the plurality of DS3 packets includes a program clock reference (PCR) value and to adjust the PCR value, if present, by a difference of a time that said each DS3 packet arrives (TS_pkt), and a time at which said each MPEG-2 packet would start to be transmitted over the ASI transport (TS_info) prior to outputting said each MPEG-2 packet;
• wherein said DS3 receiver outputs each of the plurality of MPEG-2 packets over the ASI transport upon arrival in the DS3 transport stream without storing said each of the plurality of MPEG-2 packets in a buffer, but storing the PCR value in the buffer.